


Acts of Bravery

by VenezuelanWriter



Category: The Flash (TV 2014)
Genre: Alternate Universe - No Powers, Basketball, Happy Ending, Jett and Nora are real, M/M, Rejection, Sports
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-03
Updated: 2016-10-03
Packaged: 2018-08-19 09:21:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,578
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8199878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenezuelanWriter/pseuds/VenezuelanWriter
Summary: Barry really enjoyed going there, even when it was part of his weekdays routine after work –not like he had two days remotely similar when it was about this place.Barry would arrive at the court around two, walk his couple of Puddles and then sit on his already usual spot on the bleachers to watch the match of the day –and what was most important, the handsome guy of the group that practiced every single day.





	

**Author's Note:**

> Can someone please tell why can’t i just focus on “what is human” and stop writing these things that I just come up with and that don’t leave me alone until I write them down?? I really have no excuses for this one, lol
> 
> Story time on tumblr where I talk about what inspired this: [here](http://marian-elisa.tumblr.com/post/151299099119).

Barry really enjoyed going there, even when it was part of his weekdays routine after work –not like he had two days remotely similar when it was about this place.

He would arrive at the court around two, walk his couple of Puddles and then sit on his already usual spot on the bleachers to watch the match of the day –and what was most important, the handsome guy of the group that practiced _every single day_.

The first thing Barry noticed about him was that he was short to play basketball. He also noticed it didn’t matter, because he was of the stars of the group. His hair was black, long to his shoulders and wavy. His skin was tanned and he was built, something that didn’t surprise Barry after seeing him play so often.

Barry had started arriving earlier, so he had more time to see him meaning: to be drowned to him. The young man (he was definitely around Barry’s age) would always arrive with who Barry assumed were his closest friends from the group, one taller than him and with short and dark hair and the other one was thinner, the same height as him and  with a nerdy look.

The handsome guy’s outfits varied between basketball shirts and shorts, tank tops and shorts, and Barry’s favorite: just those damn shorts. He was already in love with the guy's arms, but since the day he learned how his torso looked, he just wished he decided to go like that more often.

He usually arrived with his hair down and he kept it like that while he hung out and chatted with his friends. Then, he’d tied it in a bun before the three started training before the others seven or eight guys of the group arrived. That’s when they made two teams (that Barry had noticed were always different with no constants) and the game would start so they’d entertain their already regular public.

Said public consisted of Barry, three other guys that lived on the court’s street that didn’t seem to be friendly, two girls he had learned from their conversations were the girlfriend and sister of two of the players, and more often than not two kids from Barry’s neighborhood went to play ball, stayed to watch the game and would ask Barry questions about its strategies and rules.

Barry had considered asking the attractive guy out since a couple of days ago. He hadn’t gathered the guts to do it because he was worried about rejection, to be honest. Not because the guy wouldn’t swing his way, because for Barry it was pretty obvious that he did. He didn’t have a solid base to stand on about that, just a… _vibe_ , to name it, that Barry couldn’t explain. It was something the guy gave off when he moved around, that he exuded, that Barry just _felt_.

And since Barry was _brave_ , he was going to beat his fear of rejection and he was going ask him out.

That Friday, after the game, the guy walked to the bleachers on the other end of the court and sat with his two friends and some of the others players to refresh. Barry thought he was going to wait until the guy was alone, hoping it was one of those Fridays when he was the last one to leave.

Barry waited patiently, petting his already anxious dogs.

“Shh, Jett, Nora, _please_ , I don’t want any more attention.”

He was already the only one on the bleachers; that day the two kids hadn’t gone, the guys from around there had already left probably to steal abandoned cars or something like that, and the girls had gone shopping ‘something for Ronnie’s birthday’.

The sun was setting down and even after the players had left too, the two friends of Barry’s interest still remained by his side talking and laughing loudly. The long-haired guy moved to the floor and sat in front of the other two, maybe because his neck was hurting from trying to see both of his friends while he talked.

_C’mon, Barry, you’ve never been shy. You’re already looking weird still sitting here by yourself with nothing to see, so. Just. Do. It._

Barry stood up, with his dogs’ leashes in hand, walking through the court self-aware of his little sporty looks with a beige pair of beige bermuda shorts and a white thin tee.

The trio turned to him when they realized Barry was walking towards them, looking at him expectantly.

Barry directed his eyes to the attractive guy. Jett and Nora climbed on his legs and the guy shot a smile Barry had never seen this close. It was fucking _bright_.

“Hey, little friends,” he sang out in a sweet voice. He petted both dogs and then he looked up at Barry. “Can we help you?”

“Hey, uhm,” Barry shifted nervously, eying his dogs instead of the guy’s eyes in order to stay calm. “I always come here and I was wondering if… you would give me your phone number?” He finally looked him in the eyes after he asked, ignoring the piercing look of his couple of friends.

The guy looked down Barry’s body, landing his eyes on his shoes and then on his dogs again. His eyes moved Barry’s eyes once more with an apologetic look on them.

”Uhm, no,” he shook his head slightly. “No. I’m sorry.”

Barry blinked repeatedly, asking himself if this was really happening, but quickly reacting to the guy’s words with neutrality.

“Oh. Cool. Anyway, I’m… I always come here in case you haven’t noticed so,” he shrugged casually, “if you change your mind, you know…”

The guy nodded, offering a kind smile. “Sure.”

Barry turned around, pulling his dogs to follow him, his head up and his confidence mostly intact. He’d internally always expected this to happen, so he wouldn’t let it break him.

For the first time ever, he wasn’t looking forward next Monday.

 

On Monday, however, he went again to the court. He wouldn’t let anyone think –not the handsome guy, not his friends, not the rest of the team that had probably been told about this– that he was ashamed or something like that. No one was going to believe Barry insecure for not showing up again after he was rejected.

Being rejected was something normal, just like asking someone out. He had nothing to shame and he didn’t care about going to that place again even after last Friday.

He walked Jett and Nora, went to the bleachers and watched the game. That day the kids had gone, so he distracted himself talking to them and answering their questions.

The game ended after the regular forty minutes, when the players were already tired. Barry waited for a little longer, thinking he could handle the view (and actually enjoy it) without feeling the sting of rejection finally striking him.

But then the good looking guy was the only left from the team, and Barry had to go before he felt any more pathetic for just staring at him and his _stupid_ beach body even after he’d turned him down. He said his goodbyes to the kids and stood up, ready to leave the court for the day.

“Hey!”

Barry didn’t turn around, doubtful that the guy had been calling him. He kept walking, but then another scream made him stop in his tracks.

“You, with the cute dogs!”

Barry turned around confused, finding the guy with his hands around his mouth calling for him. When Barry’s eyes met his, the guy nodded enthusiastically and waved him to go over there.

Barry wasn’t the type of having hard feelings, so he accepted the invitation and he walked there to see what he had to tell him.

“Hey,” Barry offered quietly.

“Hi,” the guy answered ignoring the excited dogs claiming his attention. “I’m sorry about yesterday. My friends, they… I’m not sure how to handle that stuff with them around. I actually think you’re cute and I would totally give you my number.” His face was of concern, like if he suspected Barry might be the one turning him down this time.

Barry grinned, offering a hand.

“Barry.”

“Cisco,” he replied grinning just as wide and taking Barry’s hand.

 

 

When Cisco plays nowadays, Barry watches the game and is his personal cheerleader. He’s friends with the whole team and especially with Hartley and Ronnie who are Cisco’s best bros. He also knows formally Wally’s sister, Iris, and Caitlin, Ronnie’s girlfriend. They’re both lovely ladies and have included Barry in their family like if he’s always belonged there.

Cisco had discovered how to handle wonderfully the situation of telling his friends about Barry just after their second date, when they kissed for the first time and Cisco saw the freaking solar system, a whole galaxy, the entire multiverse (Okay, so Cisco is both a sap and a comic book fan, don’t blame him on his metaphors, please).

Barry gets to sit on Cisco’s comfortable legs after he plays, everyone pets Jett and Nora and gives them lots of love, and one of Barry’s favorite parts of it all is making out with Cisco even when he’s still sweaty and his shirt is still damp.

Now all they have to worry about is being happy together even if they sometimes may mess up –but fixing their problems and being adorable is what boyfriends do, anyway.

**Author's Note:**

> If you enjoyed this and maybe other of my fanfics, please visit my [Patreon account](https://www.patreon.com/venezuelanwriter/), in case you would like to help me pay for my college studies (literally, my semesters cost around $100) and also get some awesome, exclusive benefits!


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